Brief Summary

Syngnathidae is a family of mostly marine fish that includes two subfamilies: the Hippocampinae comprise 47 species of seahorses (genus Hippocampus) and two crested pipefish (genus Histiogamphelus); and the Syngnathinae comprise about 200 species of pipefishes in 54 genera, including the weedy sea dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) and the leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus eques). The name Syngnathidae is derived from Greek meaning "fused jaw", a trait that all members of this family have in common. Syngnathids have rigid armor plates covering their bodies and are slow-swimming fish found mostly in tropical and subtropical shallow waters around the world, but a few pipefish are found in open ocean environments, especially associated with floating Sargassum seaweed mats. In all species males carry the fertilized eggs either in a ventral pouch or on their tails, and provide parental protection until the eggs hatch.